Agenda item

To consider a report by the Lead Member for Finance.

The Committee considered a report by the Lead Member for Finance on the proposed functions and associated assets to be transferred to the new Weymouth Town Council when it is created on 1 April 2019 and also functions proposed to be transferred to Portland Town Council as a result of disaggregation.

Cllr Kate Wheller, as a local member, addressed the Committee to draw attention to her involvement with the bereavement service in Weymouth over many years and in relation to the proposed crematorium transfer to Dorset Council.  She asked for the staffing arrangements across the crematorium, graveyard, parks and gardens to be considered carefully as the current services worked very closely together and covered for each other. Cllr Knox, as the Leader of the Shadow Council, confirmed that the Lead Member for this area would liaise with her and with the Shadow Weymouth Town Council.

Cllr Cant, as the Leader of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, clarified that the report title should have referred to Portland Town Council as well as the report covered both Weymouth and Portland.  He summarised the Borough Council considerations of what should be transferred, the internal governance of the work undertaken, that Cllr Colin Huckle had been elected as Chairman of the Shadow Weymouth Town Council.  Cllr Cant commended officers for months of dedicated work and engagement.  The report would also be considered by the Borough Council on 17 January 2019.

On behalf of the Shadow Weymouth Town Council, Cllr Colin Huckle, shared the minutes of its meeting  held on 10 January 2019 (attached as an annexure to these minutes) which had considered the transfer of assets and had raised two main issues. The first related to the matter raised above by Cllr Kate Wheller in respect of staffing for the crematorium and graveyard.  The second related to the need to look to explore further options to generate funding given the functions that were being transferred including all work regarding the seaside area, beach, entertainment, events, and attracting visitors to help the economy.  A request had been made by the Shadow Town Council to ask the for consideration of surplus car park income.  The Monitoring Officer (designate) clarified that this was not a decision for the Shadow Executive Committee to make at this meeting in the absence of detailed financial assessment and was a principle that would be put to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council from the Shadow Town Council.  It therefore did not change the proposals as set out in the report.

A point of clarification was raised in relation to the transfer of a cemetery and associated rules in respect of cost and timescales. Cllr Huckle welcomed the clarification and undertook to look at this outside of the meeting.

Decision

That the proposals for functions and assets transferring to the new Weymouth Town Council and transfers to the existing Portland Town Council be confirmed.

Reason for Decision

Under the Principles for transfers to Town and Parish Councils agreed in July 2018, the proposed transfers had to be considered by the Shadow Executive Committee to ensure a consistent approach across the Dorset Council Area.